Mobile communication device capable of providing candidate phone number list and method of controlling operation of the mobile communication device

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication device capable of providing a candidate phone number list and a method of controlling an operation of the mobile communication device is provided. The method includes displaying a phone number input window and a display window on the touch screen, displaying a string of numbers input to the phone number input window in the display window and displaying a candidate phone number list on the touch screen if a touch input to the display window is detected when the input number string is displayed in the display window, the candidate phone number list including a plurality of phone numbers that contain the input number string.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit ofearlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No.10-2007-0011291, filed Feb. 3, 2007, the contents of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mobile communication device that iscapable of providing a candidate phone number list during the input of aphone number in response to touch input to a touch screen and a methodof controlling an operation of the mobile communication device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones or personal digitalassistants (PDAs), generally provide various additional functions, suchas voice call and Short Message Service (SMS) functions, in addition tobasic functions. Various new technologies have been widely applied tosuch mobile communication devices.

Recently, public attention has been increasingly drawn to applicationsthat use Phase change Random Access Memory (PRAM) chips as core chipsand the application of ultra high pixel Complementary Metal-OxideSemiconductor (CMOS) chips as camera modules. Future trends in thedesign of mobile communication devices are expected to include mobilecommunication devices equipped with full touch screens and double-sidedliquid crystal displays (LCD) that can display independent images oneach side.

Double-sided LCDs and full touch screens have received more and morepublic attention. This is because double-sided LCDs can help reduce thesize of mobile communication devices while enabling a variety of designsand full touch screens can make keypads, one of the basic elements ofconventional mobile communication devices, unnecessary.

However, given that the design of mobile communication devices mustensure both portability and mobility, there is a clear limit inallocating space to devices such as display devices or input devices.Therefore, the size of full touch screens that may be used in mobilecommunication devices is limited. In order for a mobile communicationdevice to perform both input and output functions at the same time usinga full touch screen without a keypad, it is necessary to developefficient methods of controlling operation of a mobile communicationdevice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedescription which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling anoperation of a mobile communication device equipped with a touch screenis provided. The method includes displaying a first area and a secondarea on the touch screen, the first area for entering a string of atleast one number and the second area for displaying the string of atleast one number and displaying a list on the touch screen if a touchinput is applied to the second area, the list including informationrelated to at least one phone number stored in a memory, wherein thelist includes information related to phone numbers that contain thestring of at least one number if at least one phone number stored in thememory matches the string of at least one number displayed in the secondarea.

It is contemplated that the list is displayed on the first area of thetouch screen. It is further contemplated that displaying the listincludes replacing the first area of the touch screen.

It is contemplated that the method further includes replacing the listwith the previously displayed first area if a touch input to the displaywindow is detected on the second area when the list is displayed. It isfurther contemplated that the method further includes displaying acommunication menu if a touch input is detected in an area of the listwhere information related to a specific phone number is displayed.

It is contemplated that the communication menu includes at least a firstarea, a second area and a third area and further including placing acall to the specific phone number if a touch input is detected in thefirst area, performing a function for sending a text message to thespecific phone number if a touch input is detected in the second areaand displaying the previously displayed list if a touch input isdetected in the third area. It is further contemplated that the firstarea includes at least one of a touch keypad, a handwriting recognitioninput window, a continuous handwriting recognition input window and aQWERTY input window.

It is contemplated that the method further includes automaticallyplacing a call to a specific phone number user if a touch input isdetected in an area of the list where information related to thespecific phone number is displayed. It is further contemplated that themethod further includes displaying a total number of stored phonenumbers that contain the string of at least one number.

It is contemplated that the method further includes adjusting thedisplayed list and the displayed total number if the string of at leastone number is altered by one of adding or deleting numbers displayed inthe second area. It is further contemplated that the method furtherincludes displaying the list on the touch screen if a touch input isdetected on a soft key.

It is contemplated that the information related to the at least onephone number includes at least one of a name and the phone number. It isfurther contemplated that the method further includes displaying atleast one operation menu area on the touch screen, each of the at leastone operation menu area having a corresponding operation and performingthe corresponding operation if a touch input is detected in the at leastone operation menu area.

It is contemplated that performing the corresponding operation includesstoring the string of at least one number input in the first area in thememory. It is further contemplated that the list includes informationrelated to one of most recently dialed/received phone numbers and mostfrequently dialed/received phone numbers if no string of at least onenumber is displayed in the second area when the touch input is appliedto the second area. Preferably, the list includes information related toone of most recently dialed/received phone numbers and most frequentlydialed/received phone numbers if no phone number stored in the memorymatches the string of at least one number displayed in the second areawhen the touch input is applied to the second area.

In another aspect of the present invention, a mobile communicationdevice is provided. The mobile communication device includes a touchscreen, a memory configured to store phone numbers and a controllerconfigured to display a first area on the touch screen including a touchpad for entering a string of at least one number, display a second areaon the touch screen for displaying the string of at least one number,and display a list on the touch screen including information related toat least one phone number stored in the memory if a touch input isapplied to the second area, wherein the list includes informationrelated to phone numbers that contain the string of at least one numberif at least one phone number stored in the memory matches the string ofat least one number displayed in the second area.

It is contemplated that the controller is further configured to displaythe list on the first area of the touch screen. It is furthercontemplated that the controller is further configured to replace thefirst area with the list.

It is contemplated that the controller is further configured to replacethe list with the previously displayed first area if a touch input tothe display window is detected on the second display area when the listis displayed. It is further contemplated that the controller is furtherconfigured to display a communication menu if a touch input is detectedin an area of the list where information related to a specific phonenumber is displayed.

It is contemplated that the communication menu includes at least a firstarea, a second area and a third area and the controller is furtherconfigured to place a call to the specific phone number if a touch inputis detected in the first area, perform a function for sending a textmessage to the specific phone number if a touch input is detected in thesecond area and display the previously displayed list if a touch inputis detected in the third area. It is further contemplated that the firstarea includes at least one of a touch keypad, a handwriting recognitioninput window, a continuous handwriting recognition input window and aQWERTY input window.

It is contemplated that the controller is further configured toautomatically place a call to a specific phone number if a touch inputis detected in an area of the list where information related to thespecific phone number is displayed. It is further contemplated that thecontroller is further configured to display a total number of storedphone numbers that contain the string of at least one number.

It is contemplated that the controller is further configured to adjustthe displayed list and the displayed total number if the string of atleast one number is altered by one of adding or deleting numbersdisplayed in the second area. It is further contemplated that thecontroller is further configured to display the list on the touch screenif a touch input is detected on a soft key when the string of at leastone number is displayed.

It is contemplated that the information related to the at least onephone number includes at least one of a name and the phone number. It isfurther contemplated that the controller is further configured todisplay at least one operation menu area on the touch screen, each ofthe at least one operation menu area having a corresponding operationand perform the corresponding operation if a touch input is detected inthe at least one operation menu area.

It is further contemplated that the corresponding operation includesstoring the string of at least one number input in the first area in thememory. It is further contemplated that the controller is furtherconfigured to display a list including information related to one ofmost recently dialed/received phone numbers and most frequentlydialed/received phone numbers if no string of at least one number isdisplayed in the second area when the touch input is applied to thesecond area. Preferably, the controller is further configured to displaya list including information related to one of most recentlydialed/received phone numbers and most frequently dialed/received phonenumbers if no phone number stored in the memory matches the string of atleast one number is displayed in the second area when the touch input isapplied to the second area.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. It is to beunderstood that both the foregoing general description and the followingdetailed description of the present invention are exemplary andexplanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of theinvention as claimed.

These and other embodiments will also become readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description of theembodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention notbeing limited to any particular embodiments disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention. Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that arereferenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same,equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams of the exterior of a mobile communicationdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a mobile communication device according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts illustrating a method of controlling anoperation of a mobile communication device according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate touch screen images for explaining themethod illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the inventionare shown. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the exterior of a mobilecommunication device 100 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile communication device 100includes a receiver 141 located on a front surface of the mobilecommunication device 100 that outputs a voice signal of another partyduring a phone conversation, a touch screen 120 that can be used as bothan input device and a display device, and manipulation keys 131 used toreceive or terminate a call. Manipulation keys (not shown) forincreasing or reducing volume or performing camera functions may also bedisposed on one side of the mobile communication device 100.

The touch screen 120 is a display device that responds to a touch inputfrom a user. Specifically, the touch screen 120 allows the user tointeract with the mobile communication device 100 by touching picturesor characters displayed on the touch screen with a finger.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the mobile communication device 100according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the mobile communication device 100 includes a wirelesscommunication unit 110, a touch screen 120, a manipulation key unit 130,a sound processing unit 140, a memory unit 150, and a controller 160.

The wireless communication unit 110 provides an interface for wirelesscommunication with a base station through an antenna 105. The wirelesscommunication unit 110 includes a duplex filter for filtering a signalreceived through the antenna 105, a power amplifier for amplifying atransmit signal, a frequency up-converter circuit in a transmission pathand a frequency down-converter circuit in a reception path.

The touch screen 120 may function as an input device for receiving usercommands and data. The touch screen 120 may also function as a displaydevice for displaying menus used for operating the mobile communicationdevice 100 and other information, such as a state of a received call orbattery information.

The touch screen 120 may include a touch screen panel and a touch screenpanel controller. The touch screen panel, which is a transparent panelattached to the exterior of the mobile communication device 100, may beconnected to buses in the mobile communication device. The touch screenpanel determines whether the touch screen 120 has been touched.

The touch screen panel may transmit a signal corresponding to a detectedtouch input on the touch screen 120 to the touch screen panelcontroller. The touch screen panel controller processes the signaltransmitted by the touch screen panel and transmits data obtainedthrough processing to the controller 160. In this way, the controller160 can determine whether there has been a touch input on the touchscreen 120 and which portion of the touch screen 120 has been touchedaccording to the data transmitted by the touch screen panel controller.

The manipulation key unit 130 may include keys for making, receiving orterminating a call. The manipulation key unit 130 may also receive andprocess a user command by transmitting a signal to the controller 160corresponding to a key that is touched by the user. The sound processingunit 140 may amplify a sound signal output by the controller 160 andoutput the amplified signal to a speaker. The sound processing unit 140may also convert a sound signal received via a microphone, such as thereceiver 141, into an electrical signal and transmit the electricalsignal to the controller 160.

The memory unit 150 stores programs and data that are necessary for theoperation of the mobile communication device 100 and various data thatthe user wishes to store. The memory unit 150 may also store a softwaredriver for controlling the touch screen 120.

The controller 160 controls the operation of the mobile communicationdevice 100 by controlling the wireless communication unit 110, the touchscreen 120, the manipulation key unit 130, the sound processing unit140, and the memory unit 150. Specifically, when a dialing menu isselected by a user, the controller 160 may display on the touch screen120 a phone number input window and a display window for displaying astring of numbers input by the user using the phone number input window.

When a touch input is detected on the display window of the touch screen120, the controller 160 may display a candidate phone number list on thetouch screen 120, the candidate phone number list including a pluralityof previously-stored phone numbers that contain the number stringdisplayed in the display window. If a touch input is detected on thedisplay window when no number string has been input to the phone numberinput window, the controller 160 may display a list of most recentlydialed/received numbers or a list of most frequently dialed/receivednumbers on the touch screen 120. The controller 160 may also display acandidate phone number list on the touch screen 120 when a touch inputto a soft key is detected.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts illustrating a method of controlling anoperation of a mobile communication device 100 according to anembodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, a userselects a dialing menu for making or receiving a call or transmittingmessages (S210). The controller 160 then displays a phone number inputwindow and a display window for displaying a string of numbers input tothe phone number input window by the user (S205).

The controller 160 determines whether a number has been input to thephone number input window (S210). If it is determined that a number hasbeen input to the phone number input window, the controller 160 displaysthe number in the display window (S215). It is then determined whetheran operation menu item displayed on the touch screen 120 has beentouched and selected by the user (S220).

If it is determined that an operation menu item displayed on the touchscreen 120 has been selected by the user, the controller 160 performs anoperation corresponding to the selected operation menu item (S225). Forexample, a phone number may be stored or a call made or received.

If it is determined that no operation menu item has been selected by theuser, the controller 160 determines whether there has been a touch inputto the display window or to a soft key (S227). If it is determined thatthere has been a touch input to the display window or to a soft key, thecontroller 160 determines whether a string of numbers has been input toa phone number input window (S229).

If it is determined that no number string has been input to the phonenumber input window, the controller 160 displays a list of most recentlydialed/received phone numbers or a list of most frequentlydialed/received phone numbers (232) and determines whether one of thephone numbers included in the candidate phone number list has beenselected (S234). If it is determined that one of the phone numbersincluded in the candidate phone number list has been selected, thecontroller 160 displays a communication menu for the selected phonenumber (S236) and performs an operation corresponding to a menu itemselected from the communication menu (S238).

If it is determined that a string of numbers has been input to the phonenumber input window, the controller 160 displays a candidate phonenumber list including a plurality of stored phone numbers that containthe input number string (S240). The candidate phone number list may bedisplayed in the area where the phone number input window is displayed,with the phone number input window no longer displayed. If no storedphone numbers contain the input number string, the controller 160 maydisplay a list of most recently dialed/received phone numbers or a listof most frequently dialed/received phone numbers (232).

The controller 160 then determines whether there has been another touchinput to the display window (S243). If it is determined that there hasbeen no further touch input to the display window, the controller 160replaces the candidate phone number list with the phone number inputwindow again (S295). The display of a candidate phone number list or aphone number input window may be performed repeatedly according to touchinputs to the touch screen 120.

If it is determined that there is another touch input to the displaywindow in step S243, the controller 160 determines whether one of thephone numbers included in the candidate phone number list has beenselected (S250). If it is determined that one of the phone numbersincluded in the candidate phone number list has been selected, thecontroller 160 displays a communication menu for the selected phonenumber (S255) and performs an operation corresponding to a menu itemselected from the communication menu (S260).

According to the present invention, it is possible to display acandidate phone number list according to a touch input to a displaywindow during the input of a phone number to a phone number input windowdisplayed on the touch screen 120. FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate touchscreen images for explaining the method illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a touch screen image 300 displayed on a touchscreen 120 includes a phone number input window 320 with a keypad and adisplay window 310 that displays one or more numbers input to the phonenumber input window. Operation control menu items 330, such as ‘MENU’,‘STORE’, and ‘CANCEL’, are displayed below the phone number input window320. The phone number input window 320 may be an input window other thana keypad input window, such as a handwriting recognition input window, acontinuous handwriting recognition window, or a QWERTY input window.

A string of numbers input to the phone number input window 320 isdisplayed in the display window 310, as indicated by reference numeral314 of FIG. 6A. The total number of candidate phone numbers containingthe input number string is then displayed in the display window 320, asindicated by reference numeral 312 of FIG. 6A.

When a touch input to the display window 320 is detected, as indicatedby reference numeral 316 of FIG. 6A, a candidate phone number list 340is displayed in the area where the phone number input window 320 wasdisplayed and the phone number input window is no longer displayed, asillustrated in FIG. 6B. If another touch input to the display window 320is detected while the candidate phone number list 340 is displayed, asindicated by reference numeral 316 of FIG. 6B, the candidate phonenumber list 340 is replaced by the phone number input window 320.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a touch screen image 300 generated when oneof the phone numbers included in the candidate phone list 340, such as aphone number item 342 in FIG. 7A, is selected. As illustrated in FIG.7B, when the phone number item 342 is selected, a communication menucorresponding to the phone number is displayed at the bottom of thetouch screen image 300.

If a menu item, such as ‘MESSAGE’ 372, is selected from thecommunication menu, a message may be sent to a phone numbercorresponding to the phone number item 342. If a menu item, such as °CALL 374, is selected, a voice call may be made to the phone numbercorresponding to the phone number item 342. If a menu item, such as‘CANCEL’ 376, is selected, the touch screen may return to a previoustouch screen image.

The present invention can be realized as computer-readable code writtenon a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recordingmedium may be any type of recording device in which data is stored in acomputer-readable manner.

Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a ROM, a RAM,a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disc, an optical data storage, and acarrier wave (e.g., data transmission through the Internet). Thecomputer-readable recording medium can be distributed over a pluralityof computer systems connected to a network such that computer-readablecode is written thereto and executed therefrom in a decentralizedmanner. Functional programs, code, and code segments needed forrealizing the present invention can be easily construed by one ofordinary skill in the art.

According to the present invention, a phone number input window and adisplay window for displaying one or more numbers input to the phonenumber input window are displayed on a touch screen. When a touch inputto the display window is detected after a string of numbers is input tothe phone number input window, a candidate phone number list includingphone numbers that contain the input number string is provided to auser.

It is also possible for a user to quickly communicate with a desiredother user with reference to a candidate phone number list. It is alsopossible for a user to efficiently control a mobile communication deviceequipped with even a small-sized touch screen.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, allchanges and modifications that fall within the meters and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such meters and bounds, are embraced by theappended claims.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and arenot to be construed as limiting the present invention. The presentteaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses.

The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative,and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives,modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to coverthe structure described herein as performing the recited function andnot only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

1-40. (canceled)
 41. A method of controlling an operation of a mobilecommunication device equipped with a touch screen, the methodcomprising: displaying a first area and a second area on the touchscreen, the first area comprising an input window for enteringinformation related to at least one phone number and the second areacomprising a display window for displaying the entered information; anddisplaying a list on the touch screen in response to a touch inputapplied to the second area, the list comprising candidate informationstored in a memory, wherein the entered information comprises at leastone number or one character and the candidate information is related tothe information entered on the input window.